1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an ultrasonic probe for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus to be used in medical diagnoses by transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from biological bodies with employment of such an ultrasonic probe.
2. Description of a Related Art
In conventional ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus, while both ultrasonic transmitting means and ultrasonic receiving means use the same systems, one-dimensional sensor array is generally employed which includes elements (vibrators) for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves. The vibrators are realized by using piezoelectric ceramics which is typically known as PZT (Pb (lead) zirconate titanate), or by using a polymer piezoelectric element such as PVDF (polyvinyle difluoride). Furthermore, such a one-dimensional sensor array is mechanically moved so as to acquire two-dimensional images, and those two-dimensional images are synthesized with each other, so that a three-dimensional image is obtained.
However, since there is a time lag along the mechanically moving direction of the one-dimensional sensor array in accordance with this method, tomographic images acquired at different time instants are synthesized with each other, and therefore, the synthesized image becomes blurred. As a result, this conventional method is not suitable for imaging objects to be inspected such as living bodies, for instance, in such a case where ultrasonic echo observations are carried out by employing the above-described conventional ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus.
In order to acquire a three-dimensional image having a high image quality by using ultrasonic waves, a two-dimensional sensor array capable of acquiring a two-dimensional image without being mechanically moved is necessarily required. For this reason, such a method of manufacturing a two-dimensional sensor array with employment of the above-described PZT or PVDF has been considered. In such a case where the above-described PZT or PVDF is employed so as to manufacture such a two-dimensional sensor array, elements must be processed in very fine manners, and also, a very large number of very fine elements must be connected by using wiring lines. However, it is practically difficult to process these elements in a finer manner, and also to manufacture these elements in a higher integration, as compared with the presently-available very fine processing manner and element integration method.
Also, even when these problems could be solved, there are other problems. That is, crosstalk between elements would be increased, electric impedance of elements connected by very fine wiring lines would be increased which deteriorate an S/N ratio thereof, and electrode portions of these very fine elements would be easily destroyed. Under such a circumstance, it is practically difficult to realize such a two-dimensional sensor array with employment of PZT or PVDF elements.
On the other hand, as another ultrasonic sensor without using a piezoelectric material such as PZT, an optical detecting type sensor is known in this field, by which an optical fiber is utilized and an ultrasonic wave is converted into an optical signal to be detected. As such an optical detecting type ultrasonic sensor, the below-mentioned ultrasonic sensors are reported, namely, an optical detecting type sensor using the fiber Bragg grating (will be abbreviated as an xe2x80x9cFBGxe2x80x9d hereinafter) described in xe2x80x9cUnderwater Acoustic Sensor with Fiber Bragg Gratingxe2x80x9d written by TAKAHASHI et al. in National Defense Academy (Japan), see OPTICAL REVIEW Vol. 4, No. 6 in 1997, p. 691-694; and an optical detecting type sensor using the Fabry-Perot resonator (will be abbreviated as an xe2x80x9cFPRxe2x80x9d hereinafter) described in xe2x80x9cFabrication and Performance of a Fiber Optic Micro-Probe for Megahertz Ultrasonic Field Measurementsxe2x80x9d written by UNO et al. in Tokyo Institute of Technology, see T. IEE Japan, Vol. 118-E, No. 11 in 1998, p. 487-492.
If such a two-dimensional sensor array is manufactured by employing these ultrasonic sensors, there are such merits that electric-wiring works to a large number of very fine elements are no longer required, and furthermore, higher sensitivities can be obtained. However, this two-dimensional sensor owns another problem that since this sensor itself is made in high cost, manufacturing cost of such a two-dimensional sensor is increased, and also, manufacturing cost of an ultrasonic probe using the two-dimensional sensor array is increased. Also, since an optical detecting sensor is not inherently provided with an ultrasonic wave transmitting function, this optical detecting sensor requires such an ultrasonic transmitting function.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and therefore, has a first object to provide an ultrasonic probe equipped with an ultrasonic transmitting function and capable of detecting an ultrasonic wave signal in a two-dimensional manner, without necessities of electric-wiring works to a large number of very fine elements and without increasing crosstalk and electric impedance, while the ultrasonic probe can be manufactured in low cost. Also, a second object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus capable of acquiring either a two-dimensional ultrasonic image or a three-dimensional ultrasonic image by applying thereto the above-described ultrasonic probe.
To solve the above-explained problems, an ultrasonic probe according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an ultrasonic detecting element having a reception plane capable of receiving ultrasonic waves, for modulating light on the basis of ultrasonic waves applied to respective positions of the reception plane; and at least one ultrasonic transmitting element for transmitting ultrasonic waves.
Also, an ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an ultrasonic probe including an ultrasonic detecting element having a reception plane capable of receiving ultrasonic waves, for modulating light on the basis of ultrasonic waves applied to respective positions of the reception plane, and a plurality of ultrasonic transmitting elements arranged around the reception plane of the ultrasonic detecting element, for transmitting ultrasonic waves in accordance with drive signals; a drive signal generating circuit for generating drive signals to be applied to the plurality of ultrasonic transmitting elements; a photodetector having a plurality of pixels, for detecting light output from corresponding positions of the ultrasonic detecting element to output detection signals; signal processing means for receiving detection signals output from the photodetector to process the received detection signals; control means for controlling both generation timing of the drive signals and reception timing of the detection signals; image processing means for constructing an image signal on the basis of an output signal of the signal processing means; and an image display unit for displaying thereon an image on the basis of the image signal.
According to the present invention, since the ultrasonic transmitting elements are arranged around, or inside the ultrasonic detecting element for modulating the light on the basis of the ultrasonic waves applied to the respective positions of the ultrasonic reception plane, the ultrasonic probe can detect the ultrasonic signals in a two-dimensional manner without increasing crosstalk and electric impedance, and furthermore, is capable of equipping the ultrasonic transmitting function, while this ultrasonic probe can be manufactured in low cost. As a consequence, the ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus capable of acquiring either the two-dimensional ultrasonic image or the three-dimensional ultrasonic image and having the better image qualities can be realized with employment of such an ultrasonic probe.